A memorial statue that will serve as a tribute to the lives of Marie and Lyle McCann has been unveiled in St. Albert, Alta.
The couple, who disappeared in July, 2010, have never been found. Firefighters later found their motorhome on fire at a campground and RCMP found blood and Lyle’s hat marred with bullet holes. Travis Vader was identified as a person of interest in 2010, and six years later he was convicted of manslaughter.
A $60,000 fund the community raised as reward money for tips about the McCanns whereabouts was never claimed.
The sculpture of two loons, entitled “Darling”, was commissioned by the family with the unclaimed reward money. It is meant to be a gift to the people of St. Albert as well as a way to remember the love birds.
“I can’t think of a better way to turn this back and just say thank you to everybody here,” son Bret McCann said at its unveiling on Sunday. “We are turning the page and moving onto the next chapter.”
The 2,700-pound granite and bronze monument is also etched with words and phrases, chosen by family members, that remind them of the couple.
“It doesn’t replace them in any way. It has been a hard seven years and this is a beautiful honour,” added Lyle’s sister, Maxine Abb.
The piece, created by Vancouver artists Paul Slipper and Mary-Ann Liu, sits in Grandin Park in St. Albert, Alta., just blocks away from the McCann family home.
With files from CTV Edmonton’s Angela Jung
